1953 Austin Healey 100/4 from Australia and New Zealand - Comments

The car was partially under the control of Lucas, The Prince of Darkness. This meant that electrical failures with odd and wide-ranging effects would occur at unusual and inconvenient times.

Austin Healeys really only ever had one body shape. Designed around 1952 by a young genius called Gerry Coker, and still the same at the end of production in 1968.

On paper the 2,660cc clunker of a long stroke cast iron engine (it took two strong men to lift the head off the block) looked ridiculous, but the superb electric overdrive and the thumping torque combined to create a car where changing gear was often optional.

1,700rpm at the metropolitan speed limit - long legs on the open road, and the beautiful noise!!... (red-lined at 4,500 though).

So many joys in owning and driving - only three major faults, there from the first to last day of production:

1. Laughable ground clearance due to the chassis being below the back axle.

2. Heat transfer from the engine - hot in summer, hot in winter.

3. Vintage pilot position.

But what a chariot!!

Low ground clearance? Exhaust system is a consumable item. Owned a 1965 3000 BJ8 and 1958 100/6. The 3000 is the only vehicle I have ever owned that I was happy driving down the road at the speed limit. 4th gear and overdrive, top down, sun shining, engine just at a rumble... life was good.

Had problems with rust (this was in the early 1980's) in everything (including outriggers off the frame) but the aluminum shrouds around the hood and trunk lid.

1955 100-4, Series BN1L, SN221599:

1. Purchased c. 1961--a "coastal" car (i.e.: had gone surfing on the beach more than once) --~10K miles.

2. Complete restoration, BRG + tan leather tufted seating (duped originals).

3. New tan rubber-backed canvas top (I had saved all the screw-in snap-connectors to reinstall in the rear deck.

4. New replacement side curtains (with the driver-side arm-flap for hand-signalling turns).

5. Talk about "long-legged"! Man, that thing was a stump-puller for torque. And what a sound when it got wound up in second, then speed-shift into third, then click on the little Bendix overdive switch and watch the rpm drop 20%, the car by then just purring along at 75.

6. No A/C of course. Driving to work, most-times, the polish melted off one's shoes, since your accellerator foot was a couple inches away from the exhaust manifold.

7. And don't get me started on Lucas electricals:"Satan's Little Brother", I say... Luckily, the previous owner had given up and substituted a 1955 Chevy generator, which helped some, but still didn't save me from the awful voltage-regulator/distributer/rotor/points Lucas POS problems.

8. Almost as much of a problem, but more fun, were the twin SU carbs, with all their needle valves, hydraulic dampers (add-oil-regularly), etc.

9. 2.7L engine, with such a long stroke that the oil pan practically dragged the ground. Turns out, Austin had a warehouse full of pre-WWII tractor engines they didn't know what to do with. So, they dropped a new intake-manifold, twin SU's and a 3/4 race cam in them and had a "sports-car" engine.

10. The 100-4 was the last (and 1st) Healey to have the "drop-down" windscreen. OMan. Unscrew a couple knurled nuts, pull it up, and re-insert the two post-pegs in chrome sockets further down the bonnet. Get out the goggles. Brand's Hatch rejuvenant! (Not to dismiss the chick-magnet factor in all that, BTW)...

FWIW,

AMc

Austin, TX.

I can only agree with your comments. I wrote the first review above, and I forgot about the wonderful drop-down screen on the 100/4. That feature made a great design look even better!

Let's not neglect the fun of driving a 100-4 in the rain, even when the windshield wipes decided to work. If the flood through the side curtains didn't get you the wave action coming up through the rotting wood floors would.

I got to drive my friend's 100-4 because I was the only one besides him who could remember the shift pattern, let alone the proper use of the sometimes working overdrive.